It's a fine line that separates premium automakers from luxury ones. Volvo is stepping into the pampering big leagues with the arrival of the new XC90 Excellence. Showcased in North America for the first time at the New York Auto Show last week, the Swedish automaker revealed that the ne plus ultra version of its flagship crossover will carry a swollen sticker price of $105,895 (including delivery).

That represents a massive premium of over $60k above the XC90's $44,945 base price, or $36,800 over the T8 Twin-Engine model ($69,095) with which the Excellence shares its 400-horsepower plug-in hybrid powertrain. Though the same engine has yet to be priced in sedan form, pricing concurrently announced for the new S90 tops out at $53,945, or a little more than half the MSRP on the XC90 Excellence.

For all that extra scratch, buyers will get a top-of-the-line crossover decked out with all the proverbial bells and whistles – and then some. First revealed almost a year ago at the Shanghai Motor Show, the Excellence jettisons the second and third row of seats and replaces them with recliners offering massage, ventilation, added legroom, and a center console complete with folding tables, bottle refrigerator and crystal champagne flutes. It has Nappa leather, open-pore wood, and twenty Bowers & Wilkins speakers embedded throughout the First Class cabin.

In as vivid a sign as we've seen yet of parent company Geely's influence, the vehicle was clearly designed principally for the Chinese market. But the Swedish automaker will offer a limited number in the United States, with deliveries beginning this summer.

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Volvo XC90 Excellence Makes Its American Debut

(NEW YORK) The Volvo XC90 Excellence, a four-seat ultra-luxurious variant of the award-winning XC90 SUV, made its American Debut at the New York International Auto Show today as production begins in Gothenburg, Sweden. Limited numbers of the XC90 Excellence will be available in the United States this summer, with an MSRP of $104,900.

The XC90 Excellence breaks new ground for Volvo, delivering a level of luxury, craftsmanship and comfort not previously seen in the company's offerings. The driver and front passenger seats are duplicated to form the vehicle's second row, fundamentally changing the car's configuration.

With just four seats instead of seven the additional space is utilized to offer a First Class automotive experience that begins with broad, spacious individual reclining rear seats complete with massage, ventilation and increased leg room, as well as a retractable control touchscreen, folding tables, a refrigerator with bottle and glass holders, a heating/cooling cup holder and handmade crystal glasses from leading Swedish glass design company, Orrefors.

The presence of Nappa leather and open-pore wood, a signature of the XC90 Inscription, is expanded throughout the interior while a partition isolates the passenger space from the cargo area. This ensures an ultra-quiet environment to enjoy the 20-speaker, 1400-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

The Volvo XC90 Excellence is uncompromising in luxury, safety and its environmental footprint. The vehicle is offered exclusively with Volvo's 400 horsepower, T8 Twin-Engine Plug-in Hybrid Electric powertrain with an Orrefors crystal gear shifter. Of course, the XC90 Excellence meets the same stringent safety standards as the XC90 T8 Inscription, Momentum and R-Design.

"The Volvo XC90 Excellence is a fantastic expanded version of Volvo's idea of luxury. It brings together fantastic materials, uncompromising safety and performance into an amazing package," said Lex Kerssemakers, President and CEO of Volvo Car USA, "This car exposes Volvo to a new type of buyer."

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